“This is one those moments in life and politics in which one has to decide between the aspiration of becoming an important figure or useful man. Today, I have decided not to participate in the internal process for the presidential nomination,” said Sen. Beltrones, roughly translated, in the report.

While the ex-governor of the most populous state south of the border — the state of Mexico — Enrique Peña Nieto has always been the PRI frontrunner, Beltrones’ decision leaves him as the only candidate at the moment.

“I recognize the political professionalism and the contributions of @mfbeltrones in benefit of the project and unity of the PRI,” that’s the post, also translated, on Enrique Peña Nieto’s official Twitter account this morning, @EPN.

It appears that the PRI and the left are moving toward unity in their internal presidential nominations. Last week, Andrés Manuel López Obrador was picked by a national poll as the candidate for the Democratic Revolutionary Party and the left.

Meanwhile, the three conservative hopefuls — Sen. Santiago Creel, Rep. Josefina Vazquez and Ernesto Cordero — don’t show any signs of slowing down and reportedly will debate a couple of times in early December.

Now, the Federal Electoral Institute has been clear that the time for the hopefuls to begin campaigning starts on December 18. The parties that only register one candidate for the party’s nomination won’t be able to spread the candidate message on radio and TV during that time — since evidently there wouldn’t be any contest.

So, there’s the possibility of more candidates registered by the parties to “compete” in their internal process to avoid missing out on the use mass of media.